Golden Harvest Corn at #FPS23

Carrie Muehling

Golden Harvest is launching 24 new corn hybrids in 2024, including five new Enogen hybrids for fuel and feed. The complete portfolio includes hybrids ranging from 82 to 117 days, according to Corn Product Manager Andy Ackley.

“We made a significant investment into our business a few years ago, and we’re really starting to see that investment come to fruition with this class,” he said.

Ackley encouraged farmers to get in touch with a local Golden Harvest sales representative as these products are already available.

Andy Ackley, Golden Harvest Corn Product Manager
2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Andy Ackley, Golden Harvest 2:16

Audio, Corn, Farm Progress Show, Golden Harvest, Seed, Syngenta

ZimmCast 718 – Opening of the Ag Innovation Campus

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

Last week the Ag Innovation Campus held its grand opening in Crookston, MN. You can see lots of photos and interviews in the virtual newsroom I published on AgNewsWire.com. I’m going to share some of those interviews in the episode.

Before getting to the AIC facility I met a group of farmers and other ag leaders in Fargo, ND to tour the Northern Crops Institute. This is a collaborative effort among Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota to support the promotion and market development of crops grown in this four-state region and it is situated on the campus of North Dakota State University, in Fargo. I’ll share my interview with Mark Jirik, Director, who will describe the unique work they do there.

After that we got on a bus and traveled to the Riverview Waukon Dairy where I met David Yost who will provide an overview of the large and very impressive facility they have built.

AIC Ribbon CuttingThen we moved on to Crookston, MN to the Ag Innovation Campus. We had presentations from a variety of people who have played a part in the success of reaching phase one of the facility and a ribbon cutting. I talked with several leaders about the work that the AIC will do to deliver crops and processing technologies from bench top to commercialization. Think of the term, crush facility, and you’ll hear more about this staring with Tom Slunecka, Acting AIC CEO. Next we’ll hear from Mike Skaug, AIC Board Member. Finally in this episode you can hear from the AIC Plant Manger, Kent Meyers.

This was a very interesting day of seeing how all these facilities are helping farmers and also food companies and others. So, as everyone was saying, it looks like it’s time to “crush it.”

Listen to the episode here:ZimmCast 718 - Grand Opening of the AIC (27:51)

That’s the ZimmCast for this week. I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

Check out other content from grand opening event in the Ag Innovation Campus Grand Opening Virtual Newsroom.

Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

Ag Groups, Audio, Equipment, Soybean, ZimmCast

What’s New in Golden Harvest Soybean Products

Carrie Muehling

As Golden Harvest looks to the coming growing season for soybeans, the number 24 rings true. The company is offering 24 new soybean varieties, as well as 24 Gold Series soybean varieties in 2024.

Soybean Product Manager Ryan Dunsbergen said there are four factors go into Gold Series soybeans, including proprietary genetics, high yield, great disease package, and adaptability.

Dunsbergen said they’ve seen a plethora of soybean diseases in farm fields this year.

“We have beans that get diseases like everybody else, but it’s our attention to detail and it’s our ability to be able to screen these new soybean products well and to be able to put them out into the countryside,” he said. “We do not want to be surprised by how our soybean products perform in real world situations.”

Dunsbergen encouraged farmers to continue to work closely with Golden Harvest agronomists and seed advisors as they plan for next year.

Ryan Dunsbergen, Golden Harvest Soybean Product Manager
2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Ryan Dunsbergen, Golden Harvest 3:58

Audio, Farm Progress Show, Golden Harvest, Seed, Soybean, Syngenta

Precision Ag News 9/20

Carrie Muehling

  • The Independent Professional Seed Association announces the IPSA Awards – Independent of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards. To nominate someone, simply visit the link and fill out the nomination form. To nominate for Independent of the Year, click here. For Lifetime Achievement, click here. The deadline for nominations is November 1st.
  • Agricultural technology is affecting row crops and specialty crop production, ag retail, and international agribusiness. But with so much advancements, where are we in the adoption of ag tech? Join five ag tech experts on September 27 at 10 a.m. (Eastern time) for a free one-hour webinar discussing the State of the Ag Tech Industry. Click here to register.
  • FS agronomists are canvasing the Midwest collecting corn yield data as harvest gets underway. States with FS agronomists on the ground collecting data for the 2023 FS Crop Tour include Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The data collected, including estimated yield and number of locations sampled, is uploaded to the FS Agronomy Yield Analyzer. The tool clusters the map points, consolidated by a specific geographic area, and calculates the estimated yield of that area. The data is constantly changing as agronomists input new data daily.
  • The Concept AgriTek team has increased its sales agronomic experience with the addition of Brad Hill as District Sales Manager for Kansas and Oklahoma.
  • Indigo Ag announced that it has raised over $250 million to drive innovation and growth in its sustainable agriculture programs and better serve its customers and partners. The successful investment round signals market validation of the company’s strategy and confidence in Indigo’s unique ability to drive farmer and agribusiness success at scale.
  • Raven Industries, in collaboration with Forward Group, has conducted a survey that highlights the growing interest among farmers in adopting autonomy solutions for their harvest operations. The survey covers the evolution of farming operations, such as harvest carting operations, and the continuous need to adopt new technologies that result in higher productivity and more sustainable farming.
  • The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) elected officers and board members at their recent Annual Meeting held in Indianapolis, Ind. New officers are President Jaime Yanes, Albaugh, LLC; Vice President Michael Lehman, AMVAC; and Secretary/Treasurer John Oesch, Nutrien Ag Solutions. Joe Olson, Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC, will serve as Immediate Past President.
  • Nichino America, Inc. and Sipcam Agro have announced a cross-licensing agreement that is set to improve the crop protection offerings in the United States mutually for each company.
  • While the farm season is winding down, aerial applicators are still working by seeding cover crops via aircraft. One of the most promising conservation practices aerial applicators can assist farmers with is aerially applying cover crop seeds, which are grasses, legumes, small grains, and other low-maintenance crops planted specifically to improve soil health and biodiversity, according to the National Agricultural Aviation Association.
  • Albaugh, LLC has released its inaugural 2022 Sustainability Report, “Our Purpose Is Rooted In Protection,” highlighting the company’s commitment and progress toward creating a more sustainable and resilient future. The first-ever report is a snapshot of where the company is in its sustainability journey and efforts that are being made to drive positive change for the future.
  • Ceres Imaging, the data analytics company that builds precision agriculture solutions to reduce risk and improve sustainability outcomes, unveiled Water Recommendations. This new solution prescribes exactly how much water to apply every week for each irrigation zone, minimizing waste and maximizing grower profitability.
  • SwarmFarm Robotics announced the launch of its game-changing “dock and refill” capability. This advancement promises to untether equipment size from productivity by enabling robots to autonomously refill and refuel themselves.
  • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Agtonomy and On-Target Debut Electrostatic Smart Sprayer

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Agtonomy, a leading software and services company specializing in advanced autonomous and AI solutions for agriculture, is partnering with ontargetspray.com to develop an all-electric, electrostatic autonomous smart sprayer, debuting a prototype designed specifically for specialty crop producers today at the FIRA USA ag robotics and autonomy show in Salinas, California.

    “Embedding Agtonomy’s AI ‘smarts’ into OnTarget’s proven electrostatic ag sprayers ups the ante in next-gen smart-spray solutions, bringing unparalleled results and better outcomes to more farmers, faster,” said Tim Bucher, CEO and co-founder of Agtonomy. “Both Agtonomy and OnTarget share a vision of smart, all-electric implement ecosystems as the future of agriculture, not only for efficiency and cost-savings, but for significant contributions to sustainable farming practices.”

    OnTarget’s electrostatic technology, which creates charged spray droplets that more uniformly cover and cling to surfaces, helps growers cut their spray time in half while using less water and using crop protection products more efficiently.

    “Building upon 28 years of engineering and in-field experience as the leader in electrostatic applications for specialty crops, partnering with Agtonomy lets OnTarget bring the grower next generation technology and autonomy, reducing costs, liability and achieving better results at the lowest cost per acre,” said Willie Hartman, founder of OnTarget, whose prototype has already been used in test sites across California.

    Agtonomy’s 2024 pilot program on the West Coast will give growers the first chance to use and contribute to the ongoing development of this cutting-edge technology.

    Learn more in this interview with Agtonomy CEO and Co-founder Tim Bucher
    Interview with Tim Bucher, Agtonomy 10:49

    AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, robotics, Sustainability, Technology

    Animal Ag News 9/19

    Carrie Muehling

  • Whether you are pitch perfect or know how to make beef sizzle, CattleCon24 has a variety of contents to showcase your hidden talents. Applications are now open for the Beef It Up Recipe Contest, National Anthem Contest and Beef’s Got Talent at convention.ncba.org.
  • The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) named Westway Feed Products’ Houston, Texas, facility as its 2023 Liquid Feed Facility of the Year (FFY) award winner. Gary Huddleston, AFIA’s director of feed manufacturing and regulatory affairs, presented the award to plant manager Tommy Flowers at the AFIA’s Liquid Feed Symposium, held in Louisville, Ky.
  • The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) applauded the announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide critical, long-awaited financial assistance for dairy farmers affected by natural disasters.
  • NMPF’s Regulatory Affairs Director, along with an Olympic athlete (and dairy farmer), told the government’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee how dairy is a critical component of diet that should be considered in light of its full range of benefits in comments made today before the panel. Miquela Hanselman from NMPF, and Elle St. Pierre, a farmer-member of the Dairy Farmers of America cooperative and a world medalist track athlete who represented the United States in the women’s 1,500-meter race in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, both offered their perspectives on dairy’s role in diet before the panel that will shape the scientific report informing the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Both Hanselman and St. Pierre hold degrees in nutrition and public health.
  • As fall approaches, September celebrates the most-consumed meat in the United States: chicken. Two-thirds of U.S. chicken are raised in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas. Foreign markets are increasingly important to the U.S. chicken industry, accounting for $4.4 billion in exports and 16 percent of global production in 2022. The United States is the world’s second-largest exporter, with more than 145 countries importing U.S. frozen chicken leg quarters, legs, and thighs last year.
  • The Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) will invest approximately $38 million into programs of beef promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing, and producer communications during fiscal 2024, subject to USDA approval. In action at the end of its September 6-7 meeting in Denver, Colorado, the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC) approved Checkoff funding for a total of 12 “Authorization Requests” – or grant proposals – for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2023.
  • The American Livestock Markets & Dealers Association (ALMDA) has named Tim Niedecken as its new Chief Executive Officer. A leader in both the agricultural world and association management, Niedecken assumed the role on September 1, 2023.
  • Purina Animal Nutrition is excited to announce two new leading-edge nutrition products designed to address the top challenges of sheep and goat producers – Purina Accuration Sheep & Goat R+R Block and Purina RestEZ Sheep Balancer.
  • USPOULTRY’s Women’s Leadership Conference provided attendees with a slate of speakers to facilitate career growth and development among women leaders in the poultry and egg industry. Through the many individual stories shared, themes of understanding oneself, supporting others, and being mindful of self and others emerged as crucial aspects of leadership. The various sessions offered attendees an opportunity to explore, in depth, leadership skills that must be developed for success.
  • Norbrook will be featuring Tauramox (moxidectin) Injectable Solution, the cattle industry’s first generic Cydectin (moxidectin) Injectable Solution, which provides effective control of key internal and external parasites in cattle, at the 2023 American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) Conference.
  • Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association announced the launch of the School for Successful Ranching Podcast, a limited six-part educational podcast exploring modern best management practices for animal health, nutrition, pasture and wildlife management, genetics and more.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the Food and Agriculture – Information Sharing Analysis Center announced a new strategic partnership to bolster the dairy industry’s defenses against cyber criminals who are increasingly targeting food and beverage manufacturers.
  • September 23 and 24, alpaca business owners throughout North America will celebrate the 17th annual National Alpaca Farm Days. Alpaca Owners Association, Inc. (AOA) invites you to visit participating member farms and ranches during this safe, fun-filled family event. Alpaca owners will welcome the public to meet their alpacas. Attendees will learn more about these inquisitive, unique animals, the luxury fiber they produce and why the alpaca business is perfect for environmentally conscious individuals.
  • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    American Vanguard Releases Sustainability Report

    Cindy Zimmerman

    American Vanguard Corporation has released its 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report, a detailed update of the Company’s commitment to the principles of Sustainable Agriculture, which is at the center of its Environmental, Social Responsibility, and Governance (ESG) initiative.

    With the 39-page report, the Company focuses on the central role that agriculture can play in mitigating climate change. More specifically, the Company profiles its portfolio of Climate-Smart Ag solutions, including soil health products, its proprietary SIMPAS® precision application system, and MRV (measure, record, verify) platform ULTIMUS®. The Company also reports on its progress with its sustainability initiatives and provides an update of safety and environmental metrics at its manufacturing plants and laboratory facilities. To improve transparency, in future reports the Company will detail plans to expand reporting, to include Scope 3 GHG emissions, warehouses, office spaces, and international businesses, as well as social and governance metrics.

    “At American Vanguard, we recognize the importance of our role and effect on the planet – from our local communities to the global environment,” said Eric Wintemute, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, of American Vanguard. “With this 2023 Sustainability Report, we reiterate our commitment to environmental and social responsibility featuring our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within, while engaging in community outreach outside the Company. We strive to improve the well-being of our employees and those in our communities, while safely and responsibly operating our businesses with a sense of mindfulness – toward the climate, the environment, and the good of humans and other species.”

    An executive summary of the 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report along with an opportunity to download the report in its entirely can be found here: www.American-Vanguard.com/ESG/2023-Corporate-Sustainability-Report.

    AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture, Sustainability

    Soybean Farmers Help Make Ag Innovation Campus Reality

    Cindy Zimmerman

    L-R:Tom Slunecka, Tom Frisch, Jimmy Gosse, Bob Worth, Mike Skaug, Shannon Schlecht

    Minnesota soybean farmers were proud to see the new cutting-edge Ag Innovation Campus (AIC) open last week in Crookston. The AIC hosted its grand opening ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 14, with an open house, tours and remarks from AIC officials and those involved in the creation of the facility.

    After nearly five years of advocating, planning and construction, the Ag Innovation Campus facility itself is complete, but is awaiting a few final components before launching formal operations in the coming weeks. “Getting to this point was no easy task. We had to navigate COVID-19. We dealt with supply chain shortages, workforce shortages and inflation,” said AIC Board Chair and Beltrami, Minn., farmer Mike Skaug. “That makes this moment all the more rewarding. It’s also rewarding to know that farmer-led advocacy was crucial in putting the Ag Innovation Campus in a position to succeed.”

    “Thanks to checkoff support from both the Council and United Soybean Board, the AIC is bringing both public and private industry together to bring ideas and technologies from benchtop all the way to commercialization,” said Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) Chair Tom Frisch, who farms in Dumont and also serves as AIC treasurer. “The AIC will also allow for teaching of the next generation of crush plant managers and operation personnel, and we’re confident that the AIC can continue to keep our industry at the forefront of new and emerging technologies and value-added uses.”

    The crush plant is only the first phase in this three-phase project. Phase two will feature an office complex and research labs. Phase three consists of rentable discovery bays that will be available for short to midterm use. Companies can then use the space to prove their designs at full production scale. The “Crushwalk” will also allow visitors to view the processing facility in a safe and bio secure manner.

    Listen to interviews with Skaug and Frisch from the grand opening last week.
    AIC interview with Mike Skaug, AIC Board chair 4:33

    AIC interview with Tom Frisch, MSR&PC Board chair 2:10

    Ag Innovation Campus Grand Opening Photo Album

    Audio, Soybean, Technology

    Industry Ag News 9/18

    Carrie Muehling

  • President Joe Biden has nominated Dr. Basil Gooden to serve as Under Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). If confirmed, Dr. Gooden would fill the under secretary position left vacant by Xochitl Torres Small, who was confirmed in July 2023 as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.
  • At the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Annual Meeting, NASDA members elected the next cohort of officers for 2023-2024. Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur will serve as NASDA’s 2023-2024 President and will host the 2024 NASDA Annual Meeting on Sept. 22-25, 2024.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center (SJVASC) celebrated 100 years of cooperative research with the grape industry that has positively impacted the way the world grows, cultivates and consumes grapes.
  • Consumers generally remain more optimistic about food prices compared to a year ago. However, individuals self-identified as having liberal political beliefs predict lower food inflation than those who identify as being conservative, according to the August 2023 Consumer Food Insights Report. The report’s authors noted that people who describe themselves as conservative report higher food price inflation over the past year (5.7 percent) than official government estimates (4.9 percent). The survey-based report out of Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability assesses food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, support of agricultural and food policies, and trust in information sources. Purdue experts conducted and evaluated the survey, which included 1,200 consumers across the U.S.
  • “AgDay,” America’s longest-running nationally syndicated daily agricultural TV news program, hosted by Clinton Griffiths, has been filming on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus over the past week in preparation for its Purdue Agriculture-themed college roadshow.
  • Syngenta Vegetable Seeds announced the appointment of Juan Pablo López as Territory Head Vegetable Seeds for the United States and Canada.
  • Iowa State student Quentin Slater will be a member of the Agri-Pulse team of journalists this fall as part of an immersive learning experience provided through the Iowa State University Foundation. He is the second candidate to be selected by ISU for this multiyear educational program. Slater will be based in Washington, D.C., where he will write articles for the Agri-Pulse and Agri-Pulse West newsletters.
  • The Renewable Fuels Association welcomed its newest producer member, Chief Ethanol, a long-standing leader in Nebraska’s ethanol community. Chief Ethanol’s biorefinery in Hastings, Neb., is that state’s first dry-mill ethanol plant, in production since 1985. Since 2016, Chief has also operated a biorefinery in Lexington, Neb., and the two facilities have a combined production capacity of over 120 million gallons of renewable fuel annually.
  • National Farm Safety and Health Week is September 17 – 23, and COUNTRY Financial is sharing tips for farmers. COUNTRY Financial is a leading farm insurer with more than 280 farm certified representatives in 10 states.
  • Kubota Tractor Corporation announced the selection of five new farmer veteran recipients of new Kubota equipment as part of its 2023 “Geared to Give” program in partnership with the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) during a special ceremony with NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain and the Trackhouse Racing team prior to the start of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
  • AgCareers.com is proud to open applications for the second annual Feed Your Future Scholarship. The AgCareers.com #FeedYourFuture Scholarship will award $1,000 to a U.S. post-secondary student. AgCareers.com created this scholarship to financially assist a student studying agriculture or intending to pursue a career in agriculture.
  • FAPRI-MU’s 2023 Baseline Update for U.S. Agricultural Markets is now available on the FAPRI-MU website. This report provides an update of the 2023 FAPRI-MU long-term baseline to reflect information available in mid-August 2023.
  • Zimfo Bytes

    Minnesota Ag Innovation Campus Opens

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Ribbon cutting at Ag Innovation Campus

    The new Ag Innovation Campus (AIC) in Crookston, Minnesota held its grand opening Thursday, with the goal of providing a platform to deliver new crops and processing technologies from benchtop to commercialization.

    “When completed, this facility is really going to change agriculture as a whole,” said Tom Slunecka, Acting AIC CEO and CEO of Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council. “We’re building something new and different, at the right time and the right place.”

    As a not-for-profit crush facility, the AIC will produce an estimated 240 tons of soybean meal daily, equaling a grand total of 62,400 tons of soybean meal per year. With three independently operated mechanic crush systems, the AIC will be able to crush organic, non-GMO and GMO soybeans.

    Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen was thrilled to see the progress on the facility, which he had been working on with the soybean producers since he came into office in 2019. “There’s so many opportunities for agriculture right now, the next ten years are going to be the most exciting time.”

    Listen to the ceremony remarks with Slunecka to start and Petersen to wrap up with others in between who made the project a reality, including AIC board chair and local farmer Mike Skaug, MSR&PC Board chair Tom Frisch, State Rep. Debra Kiel, Minnesota State Sen. Mark Johnson, and many others.

    AIC grand opening remarks 54:38

    Learn more about AIC in these interviews below:
    AIC interview with Tom Slunecka, AIC Acting CEO 8:37

    AIC interview with Kent Meyers, AIC Plant Manager 6:33

    Ag Innovation Campus Grand Opening Photo Album

    Audio, Events, Soybean